Gifts For Scholarships / Other Restricted Gift Opportunities

If you're interested in endowing a fund to support student scholarships, faculty research, clinic activities, or the law library, naming gifts which leave a legacy by naming offices, suites, etc. within the law school, and planned gifts which empower you to accomplish charitable gifts, please contact Peter Kelly at (305) 623-2374 or by e-mail at pkelly@stu.edu.

Often, a planned gift combined with a current gift will allow you to achieve your goals while having an immediate impact on the success of the law school. If you are interested in any of these types of gifts, Dean Garcia and Assistant Dean Kelly would welcome the opportunity to discuss options with you.

We invite you to join us in supporting future generations of first-rate attorneys and advocates who, if given the opportunity, can change the world.
View the scholarships listed below and select the scholarship to which you wish to make a contribution.

Scholarships and awards are administered through the School of Law Office of Student Affairs, unless otherwise noted, and are awarded on an annual basis subject to the availability of funds. Applications are available in the Office of Student Affairs.

School of Law Merit Scholarships
Scholarships are available to qualified students based on scholastic achievement and the availability of funds. For entering first-year students eligibility is based on the LSAT and undergraduate GPA. Eligibility for second- and third-year students is based on class rank and law school GPA. Consideration for merit scholarships is automatically given to all students; no formal application is required. All awards are made on a yearly basis and are renewable upon superior academic performance. Transfer students are considered after they complete a full year at St. Thomas. For additional information on specific award criteria, contact the Office of Admissions.

Jacqueline Allee Smith Scholarship
This scholarship was established in honor of former St. Thomas University School of Law Dean Jacqueline Allee Smith. It continues to be funded today with contributions from faculty and friends. The award is presented annually to a student on the bases of academic performance and financial need.

American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers-Florida Chapter Endowed Scholarship
This award of up to $1,000 is presented annually by the Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers to the outstanding student(s) in family law. The purpose of the scholarship, established in 1991, is to underline the significance of family law in the law school curriculum and to support those students interested in pursuing family law as both a course of study as well as a course of practice.

C. Clyde Atkins Memorial Endowed Scholarship
Established in 1999 with proceeds from a Dade County Bar Association tribute honoring Judge Atkins, as well as with ongoing gifts from family members and friends, this endowed scholarship is awarded annually to a St. Thomas law student, based on financial need. Judge Atkins, long recognized as a champion of civil rights and a staunch defender of the homeless and refugees, served on the School of Law Board of Advisors since its founding in the early '80s.

Attorneys' Title Insurance Fund Award
This award is presented to a top student who has contributed significantly to the advancement or analysis of issues related to real property law or legal education. Attorneys' Title Insurance Fund, Florida's leading title insurance underwriter and title information provider, seeks to preserve and facilitate the real estate practices of its members and their protection of the public.

Benvenuti-Mulvey Endowed Scholarship
Generous benefactors Adrienne R. and Edward J. Mulvey established this scholarship in memory of their parents through a planned gift in the early 1990s. The scholarship was endowed in 2002 following Mr. Mulvey's passing. This need-based scholarship, which assists St. Thomas law students with their legal education, stands as a lasting tribute to the generosity of Edward and Adrienne Mulvey and to the values of both them and their parents. The Mulveys have established several scholarships for St. Thomas students at both the School of Law and the University.

Dan Bradley Memorial Scholarship
The Florida Lawyers' Legal Insurance Corporation established this scholarship in memory of Dan Bradley, a longtime civil rights defender and public interest lawyer. Students are selected on the basis of academic merit, financial need and a record of community or public service.

Cuban American Bar Association Scholarship
This scholarship is awarded to a Cuban American student who has demonstrated distinction in academics and/or public service, or to any student who has demonstrated distinction in research, writing, community service and/or other activities of importance to the Cuban American community.

Jose Angel Espino Memorial Scholarship
Jose Angel Espino '88 was an engaging member of the St. Thomas University School of Law Charter Class who passed away shortly after graduating from law school. He is remembered for his tireless effort throughout law school despite his illness. This scholarship, awarded to an Hispanic student based on merit and need, was established in his memory by his aunt, Josefina I. Espino, and his sister, Maria Delores “Loly” Espino, an associate professor of management at St. Thomas University.

Vincent Farina Book Scholarship
Established by this 1988 graduate of the School of Law , this book scholarship is awarded in the Fall and Spring semesters to minority students who need financial assistance to purchase their books.

Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Scholarship
This $1,000 scholarship is presented annually to a student involved in a criminal defense clinic or program who has demonstrated exceptional ability, interest, and dedication in the defense of those accused of crimes. The student is chosen based on criteria consistent with FACDL's goals: to promote excellence in the practice of law; to improve the criminal justice system at the judicial, legislative, and executive levels; and to promote the protection of the rights of individuals.

Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers–Miami Chapter Scholarships
The FACDL–Miami Chapter awards two scholarships each year to students involved in a criminal defense clinic or program who has demonstrated exceptional ability, interest, and dedication in the defense of those accused of crimes. The student is chosen based on criteria consistent with FACDL's goals: to promote excellence in the practice of law; to improve the criminal justice system at the judicial, legislative, and executive levels; and to promote the protection of the rights of individuals.

Florida Association of Women Lawyers Scholarship
Each year FAWL presents one or more scholarships to a student or students the association selects from a pool of candidates identified by the Director of Student Affairs. The students must have financial need and be active in community and school activities. FAWL scholarships are awarded at the annual FAWL Judicial Luncheon each spring.

Caleb R. Freedman Trial Advocacy Award
This award was established in memory of Caleb Freedman, a committed lawyer and educator in South Florida, who died of heart failure in October 1998 at the age of 33. Caleb, who exemplified professionalism and integrity, served as an adjunct faculty member in the Trial Advocacy Program. He worked in the Miami-Dade County State Attorney's Office prior to going into private practice. This award is presented to students who distinguish themselves in the annual Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division Chester Bedell Competition.

Friends of St. Thomas Law Student Scholarships
Established in 2000, this special scholarship fund is the pooled scholarship gifts from friends and alumni of St. Thomas University School of Law. It provides the School of Law with additional resources to assist law students with financial need.

Harold W. “Butch” Gabel III St. Thomas More Award
This award is presented annually to a second- or third-year law student “who courageously promotes the integration of morality within the fabric of the law.” Harold W. “Butch” Gabel III was a second-year law student when he died tragically in a motorcycle accident. Ranked in the top 5% of his class, Butch served as a Dean's Fellow and had a real love of the law. He was a founding member of the law school's St. Thomas More Catholic Law Society because of his concern that morals and ethics be an integral part of legal decision-making as well as of the Federalist Society, demonstrating a fervor and passion for the law and the culture it guides.

Haitian Lawyers Association Scholarship
The Haitian Lawyers Association presents this award to a St. Thomas law student of Haitian descent who demonstrates a commitment to serving the Haitian community and to professionalism and social justice in the practice of law.

James “Jamie” Harkins Endowed Scholarship
This scholarship was established in 1999 by the family of Jamie Harkins, who died of cancer during the spring semester of his second year of law school. The scholarship is awarded annually to a law student of the Catholic faith who is actively involved in projects or programs to benefit the School of Law and who demonstrates a financial need.

Richard A. & Jeannette F. Hausler Endowed Scholarship
This scholarship was established in 1999 by Richard and Jeannette Hausler, renowned legal educators in South Florida, he as a professor for more than 50 years and she as Associate Dean and Dean of Students at the University of Miami School of Law. Their commitment to the values of Catholic education impelled them to play an instrumental role in the founding of St. Thomas University School of Law. Prof. Hausler, who taught in the law school's Summer in Spain Program, passed away in March 2000. Dean Hausler continues to serve as chair emeritus of the School of Law Board of Advisors.

Lecusay Family Scholarship
Established in 2002 by Alain Lecusay '03, then a third-year law student at St. Thomas, and his wife, this scholarship is awarded to a second- or third-year law student with a GPA of 3.0 or higher who has demonstrated through his or her actions, a commitment to the betterment of the School of Law.

Darryl G. Menzies Memorial Endowed Scholarship
This scholarship fund was established in memory of Darryl G. Menzies, a 1999 graduate of St. Thomas University School of Law. Darryl was a young, aspiring attorney who, before his untimely death in December 2000, inspired others to embrace life and serve their community. Established by family members, friends, and law school classmates and faculty, this scholarship is awarded to a St. Thomas law student who actively engages in the life of the law school and in helping fellow students.

The Patino Family Endowed Scholarship
Established by Ralph G. Patino, a member of the School of Law 1987 Charter Class, this need-based scholarship is awarded to a working second- or third-year law student who has made a career change. While working as a baggage handler for Delta Airlines, Ralph put himself through undergraduate school and then law school at St. Thomas University.

Marisol Rodriguez Legacy Fund Scholarship
Established in 2003 by the student Legacy Committee to honor the memory of Marisol Rodriguez, a second-year law student who died suddenly during the fall semester of 2001, this scholarship is awarded to a law student who has demonstrated diligence, ability to overcome hardships, helpfulness to others, and commitment to the school.

Donald Lee Rowland Memorial Scholarship
This need-based scholarship was established in 2004 by the family of Donald Lee Rowland to honor his memory. Donald Lee Rowland at age 42 desired to make a career change and was admitted into the 1984 Charter Class of St. Thomas University School of Law. The scholarship is awarded to a first-, second-, or third-year law student in good standing who has left his or her career to prepare for another in law.

Mary Russomanno Endowed Scholarship for Women
Herman Russomanno, a past president of The Florida Bar and chair of the School of Law Board of Advisors, established this scholarship in memory of his mother. This need-based scholarship is awarded to a female African-American, Pan-African, or Hispanic law student.

Spring Golf Fling Leadership Scholarships and Public Interest Awards
Each spring nearly 200 alumni and friends come together to help raise funds for student scholarships and public interest awards through the St. Thomas University School of Law's Annual Spring Golf Fling. Chaired by Charter Class members Tim Martin '87 and David Lister '87, who are joined by more than 30 alumni and friends on the Tournament Host Committee, and by a sold-out field of attorneys, doctors, judges, financial planners, accountants, entrepreneurs, and other golf enthusiasts, this exciting and fun-filled event annually contributes much-needed scholarship and public interest award funds for our St. Thomas law students.